Chapter 357 Divine Technique: Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack; Yūhi Kurenai's New Status [HN]

The morning sunlight filtered through the uniquely carved windows of Loran Town, casting their intricate patterns across the room.

By the time the sky began to brighten, Chiya was already awake.

He did not fully open his eyes.

The warm, soft sensation in his arms and the light, steady breathing beside his neck instantly reminded him of last night’s intimate encounter, brought about by a mixture of “conspiracy” and courage.

He lowered his head slightly and looked at Kurenai, who was curled up in his arms and still fast asleep.

The boldness and courage she had shown the previous night were gone.

At this moment, she was completely defenseless.

Her thick, curled eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes, while her usually sharp brows were completely relaxed.

A faint blush still lingered on her cheeks, like a newly blossomed rose in full beauty.

Her black hair was somewhat disheveled across the pillow, intertwining ambiguously with his own.

Perhaps she sensed his gaze, or perhaps the sunlight was disturbing her.

Kurenai unconsciously let out a soft whimper in her sleep, then burrowed deeper into his arms like a little cat seeking warmth, searching for a more comfortable position.

That instinctive gesture of dependence caused ripples of softness to spread across Chiya’s usually cold and hardened heart.

[System Message]

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully intercepted Kurenai.]

[Mission Reward: Divine Technique: Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack.]

‘Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack?’

Chiya’s mind immediately focused.

He had some impression of this technique.

It was Ōtsutsuki Kaguya’s signature ability.

Its principle was to take chakra to its absolute extreme, creating a superhuman physical technique that only Ōtsutsuki Kaguya could use.

By concentrating chakra within the palm, countless powerful fists could be released through the air.

‘If chakra can be taken to its absolute extreme, can Natural Energy be pushed to the same level? Or perhaps the two can be fused together?’

An idea suddenly surfaced in Chiya’s mind.

After carefully considering it…

This really did seem like a possible direction.

‘I’ll have to try combining them in the future!’

After absorbing all the information regarding the Divine Technique: Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, Chiya once again turned his attention toward Kurenai.

He quietly looked at her with a gentle gaze.

Then he slowly reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

His fingertip accidentally brushed against her delicate, warm cheek, and the sensation made his finger pause for a moment.

Just then, Kurenai’s long eyelashes trembled several times before she slowly opened her eyes.

The confusion of waking lasted only an instant.

When she saw his handsome face so close to hers and felt the intimate contact between their bodies, all the wild and embarrassing memories from last night instantly came rushing back like a tide.

“!!!”

Kurenai’s face visibly changed from the pale pink of sleep to a brilliant crimson, spreading all the way to her ears and neck until she looked as though she might start smoking.

She instinctively wanted to bury herself beneath the blanket.

But she discovered that most of the blanket was pinned beneath Chiya, leaving her nowhere to escape.

“Ch… Chiya-sama…”

Her voice was barely louder than a whisper, carrying the hoarseness of someone who had just awakened and an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

Her eyes darted away, and she did not dare meet his gaze.

‘Oh, heavens!’

‘What did I even do last night?!’

‘And I actually… actually really…’

Now that she was fully awake, she wished she could find a crack in the floor and crawl into it.

Seeing her shy appearance, so completely different from the bold confession she had made the night before, amusement flashed through Chiya’s eyes.

He did not say anything comforting or teasing.

He merely tightened his arm slightly, holding her more securely against him, his low voice carrying the laziness of early morning.

“It’s still early. Sleep a little longer.”

There was no awkward questioning, nor any coldness or distance afterward.

It was simply a plain yet intimate sentence, and it strangely soothed most of the panic and unease in Kurenai’s heart.

‘He… accepts me.’

That realization was like a warm current flowing through her entire body.

She secretly raised her eyes and quickly glanced at him.

He had already closed his eyes again, his breathing steady, as though he genuinely intended to sleep for a while longer.

A tremendous, almost unreal sense of happiness enveloped her.

She stopped struggling and carefully adjusted herself into a more comfortable position.

She gently rested her burning cheek against his solid chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat while feeling the reassuring warmth radiating from him.

‘So this is what it feels like to be close to him.’

It was no longer distant admiration.

It was warmth within reach.

She closed her eyes, and the corners of her lips rose uncontrollably.

The two of them embraced each other and actually fell deeply asleep again.

It was not until the sun was already high in the sky that Chiya woke once more, prompted by Sara’s deliberately softened footsteps outside the door and the faint sounds of breakfast being prepared, which were still loud enough for those inside to hear.

This time, Kurenai woke as well.

After several hours to recover, she was still shy, but she could at least maintain some composure.

“It’s time to get up.”

Chiya patted her back before getting up first, naturally picking up his outer robe and putting it on.

Kurenai’s face was red as she wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, leaving only her eyes exposed as she watched Chiya’s tall figure.

“Mm…”

After getting dressed, Chiya turned around and saw her still hiding beneath the blanket like a frightened quail, which made him smile slightly.

He walked to the door and paused.

“I’ll wait for you outside.”

With that, he opened the door and walked out, thoughtfully leaving her some space to compose herself and arrange her appearance.

Outside, Sara, Yugito, and Pakura had already prepared a sumptuous breakfast and were sitting around the dining table.

The moment Chiya came out, all three women looked at him, their gazes filled with undisguised curiosity and teasing.

“Looks like someone had a good rest last night?”

Yugito was the first to speak, her tone full of amusement.

Pakura covered her lips with a smile and poured Chiya a cup of hot tea.

Sara wore a satisfied expression that clearly said, “Mission accomplished,” before speaking softly.

“Chiya, Kurenai… is she all right?”

Chiya accepted the cup and glanced at them, his tone revealing neither anger nor amusement.

“You three certainly know how to give me ‘surprises.'”

Rather than becoming frightened, the three women burst into laughter.

Sara smiled.

“We just couldn’t bear to watch Kurenai suffer through her unrequited love anymore. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice for Chiya-sama to have one more person by his side who knows how to care for him?”

Chiya did not answer.

He merely lifted his teacup and took a sip.

But his tacit acceptance had already said everything.

After a while, the bedroom door gently opened.

Kurenai had already dressed herself.

She was still wearing the casual clothes she had arrived in, but her hair had been carefully arranged, and she had applied a light layer of makeup in an attempt to conceal the overly rosy color of her complexion.

She lowered her head and walked out hesitantly, not daring to look at anyone around the table.

“Kurenai, come and eat. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Sara warmly welcomed her as though nothing had happened the previous night.

Yugito directly stood up and pulled her into the seat beside her, teasing her.

“What happened? Shy now? Where did all that courage from last night go?”

Kurenai’s face instantly turned red again, and she wished she could bury it in the bowl before her.

Chiya glanced at her and pushed a plate of her favorite sweets toward her.

“Eat.”

The simple word carried an unmistakable sense of protection.

Warmth spread through Kurenai’s heart, and she secretly glanced at him.

Seeing his expression remain as normal as ever, she finally relaxed slightly and began eating in small bites.

With the deliberate efforts of the three “experienced women,” the atmosphere at breakfast gradually became more natural.

They chatted about interesting happenings in Loran Town and discussed applications for new techniques.

They occasionally teased Kurenai as well, but they knew where to draw the line and did not make her too uncomfortable.

Chiya mostly listened, occasionally adding a sentence or two.

He looked at Kurenai sitting beside him.

Although she was still shy, her eyes and brows now carried a radiance he had never seen before.

She chatted and laughed with the others as though she had finally become part of this circle.

For some reason, Chiya suddenly felt that mornings like this were not bad at all.

After breakfast, Chiya needed to return to Konoha to handle official business.

“Should… should I go back with you?”

Kurenai asked somewhat nervously.

Her status was different now, and she did not know how she should conduct herself.

Chiya looked at her and thought for a moment.

“If you have no mission today, stay in Loran and rest. I’ll come to pick you up later.”

He did not say what he would take her back for.

But this clear arrangement was undoubtedly a form of recognition and acceptance of her new status.

Kurenai’s eyes instantly lit up with delight, and she nodded firmly.

“Okay! I’ll wait for you!”

Chiya gave Sara and the others a few more instructions regarding barrier maintenance and intelligence gathering before leaving.

As she watched him disappear, Kurenai remained immersed in overwhelming happiness until Sara smiled and poked her forehead.

“Silly girl, what are you still looking at? He’s already gone! Come on, tell us what happened last night…”

“Sara-nee!”

Kurenai stomped her foot in embarrassment and chased after Sara, trying to cover her mouth.

Yugito and Pakura also joined in the playful commotion, and the residence was soon filled with cheerful laughter.